My least favorite of the one-shots I did, but by far the longest.

Assassin

"Where are you?"

Her whispered words didn't make a sound as she continued slinking down the passage. Her hands, however, did make noise as she fumbled in her pocket for Mr. Fibs's stolen laser pen. Using it to cut her way deeper into Blackthorne's underground caves was probably great extra credit, but if her mother knew she was actually here she'd throw a fit…

In fact, as far as Cammie knew, no one was aware of her current location. She'd been very careful to fall right off the grid - sure, it absolutely sucked not being able to see her friends or her mom and know that they're okay. But protecting them like this was so much better.

"Please let this work," she breathed as she rounded a vaguely familiar corridor. The Circle was here, she knew it. If the Circle was here, then Zach's mother would be here. The woman from Boston - how she haunted her dreams with words about Matthew Morgan. That's why Cammie was here.

She had to save him.

More importantly, she had to end them.

Inching forward, she peered down into the cavern where, just months before, she'd watched Zach say goodbye as the world exploded. An involuntary shiver overtook her as the tight-lipped woman from that night appeared.

Three armed men followed her, dragging someone behind them. Craning her neck and praying no one would look up (she'd already checked for guards on this level) she managed to catch sight of the man as they threw him on the ground. Her heartbeat quickened - is that..?

"You were perfectly fine where you were, Morgan," the woman spat. "There was no need to change that."

He looked up, breathing heavy, from his position in the dirt. "My time is almost up…you know that."

Dad! Cammie wanted to leap down and crush him to her, but instead she gripped the rocks so hard her fingers bled. How could she possibly get him out of here? The guard's rotation would change soon and he'd head this way. She only had so much time…

Springing up, she stepped down the abandoned hallway to her right. As soon as the burly man guarding came into view, she charged at him. Her momentum surprised him and within a moment he was unconscious and fell to the floor with a thud. "No," Cammie mumbled as the sound reverberated through the caves.

Taking the gun from Mr. Guard's pocket, she turned and sprinted back to her position on the rocks overlooking the cavern. Her breathing was fast and quiet as she surveyed the still-ashy room - her father was still there. Now she had a weapon. Now she could save him.

If only I were senior, I would've taken an advanced weapon class already…Cammie cocked the gun, muffling the tell-tale click with her jacket. Now just to wait until the woman was distracted for a moment.

As if her prayer was heard by some other being, the red-haired woman hissed something in Cammie's father's ear, then whipped around to retrieve a folder by the side of the room.

Fast as lightning, she launched herself over the side and hurtled towards the floor. Landing with practically no sound, she tried to ignore her father and the slight stinging behind her eyes. She was so close to him. She could reach out and touch his sweater…no. Concentration. You can do this, Cammie, she thought.

"You speak, you're dead." The gun was aimed at the back of Zach's mother. She turned around, meeting Cammie's eyes without a sound. The girl in her ached when her father gasped, but the spy was one thousand percent focused. This was her moment.

Taking a confident step forward and keeping the gun trained with "expert" aim (who really needs weapons class?) she grabbed her father's outstretched hand and helped him to his feet. The thick rope she'd attached when she dropped down here hung behind him; she gestured to it without looking.

He hesitated.

The woman said, "Cameron, what a nice surprise. Happy reunion - it's been five years now, correct?"

The first instinct Cammie had was to fire the gun, but she held back. "Go," she whispered to her father. "Before it's too late."

Why wasn't he listening? She ripped her gaze from the woman for an instant to flash over his face. His eyes were as blue as she remembered, but sadder then ever before.

"I think you're a bit confused. Your father won't be leaving today, dear. He stays with us; you could say he's one of the Circle now." Her words were emotionless, and they reminded Cammie of when Zach closed himself off from the world - from her - which he unfortunately did a lot. They really were flesh and blood…

Then the words sunk in, and she flashed her eyes to her father again. He was staring at her, as if transfixed, but said nothing. Grabbing his arm and desperate to keep the gun steady, she back up towards the rock wall, dragging him with her. "We're leaving," she quipped at the woman.

Her father refused to move. Cammie was left to tug at his sleeve like his helpless little girl, and the woman spoke again, stepping a few paces forward as the gun wobbled. "Why not stay for a chat, Cammie? You and your father obviously have a lot to catch up on."

The burning behind her eyes intensified as Matthew Morgan stood, still as a statue. Finally she swept his legs out from under him and with all her effort, lifted her father into her arms. If she was forced to climb all the way to the top where her laser-opened shortcut lay, then she would. The gun clattered on the dirt and the woman smiled.

Cammie's father immediately leaped from her arms as if she'd electrocuted him. "Dad, let's go," she begged, the tears pricking her eyes as she snatched up the gun once more.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, and the tears streaked down her face. She hadn't heard that voice in so long…

The woman stepped even closer. "Well, Mr. Morgan, here's the chance to redeem your atrocious actions over the past month. Take this and kill your daughter," she said as she tossed him a gun. He caught it, still gazing at his only daughter.

Cammie's breathing sped up as she leveled the gun at Zach's mother. "Don't speak to him," she ordered.

But Matthew Morgan had already cocked the gun. It was aimed, with perfect precision, right for her heart. Nothing else existed right then, in that moment, as Cammie's entire universe crashed and burned. To discover her father was alive all this time, then have her dreams ripped away so soon…

No one heard the scuffle in the doorway - guards being pushed away.

Everyone heard the shot as it was fired.

"No!"

The next thing she knew, her shoulder was on fire and she lay in the dirt. Someone was standing over her, shielding her with their own body. There was an angry exclamation of, "No!" and two more shots were fired. Then it was silent.

"Gallagher Girl, stay awake - please, don't go to sleep just yet." Zach's arms were around her, and Cammie's eyes fluttered open. How did he find her? She was supposed to be gone; no one could know where she was!

"Zach," she gasped, breathing ragged as her arm lit up in pain. "Don't tell…don't tell my mother."

The betrayal and re-death of Matthew Morgan would kill her. She didn't need to know.

Zach's hold on her tightened. "Of course, Cammie."

Then she fell away to a world of dreams. Maybe there, a world where parents and children try to murder each other didn't ever have to exist.